446 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



And, moreover, I never heard of the Kestrel breeding on the 

 ground — in low-lying ground ; but it is noteworthy that Stubbs 

 makes no mention in his " Sketch " of the Merlin breeding.] 



Goshawk (Astur palumbarius).— Some years back a very fine 

 female was shot at Stonor Park. I saw it in the flesh. [The 

 only occurrence of the Goshawk in Oxon known to me.] 



Kite (Milvus regalis). — I never saw one on the wing. "An 

 old countryman, about eighty, tells me that he remembers when 

 the Kite used to breed between the forks of a large elm tree in 

 Harpsden Bottom, and that he has had the eggs. This is the 

 last in our locality that I can hear of." [As I have previously 

 remark-ed (vide 'Birds of Oxfordshire,' p. 30), in the extreme 

 south ot the county the Kite apparently became rare at an 

 earlier date than in mid-Oxon, where it seems to have lingered 

 until 1840 or 1850. 



Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris). — Occasionally shot, mostly in 

 winter. The Rev. — Hull, then of Badgemore, told me (at the 

 time) that in the summer of 1858 be plainly saw one fly up out 

 of a large field. I never heard of a local nest. 



Rough-legged Buzzard (B. lagopus). — Has been shot a few 

 times in the neighbourhood. 



Honey-Buzzard (Pemis apivorus). — Has been shot on a few 

 occasions. 



Hen-Harrier (Circus cyaneus). — I have seen one or two in 

 the flesh, shot here. 



Long-eared Owl (Asio otus). — I know two or three localities 

 where it breeds regularly. It nests early in March ; usually uses 

 old nests of the Crow or Magpie. One nest was in a Squirrel's 

 "drey." [In West Oxon it breeds regularly ; in March.] 



Short-eared Owl (A. accipitrinus) . — A not uncommon 

 winter migrant. 



Barn-Owl (Strix flammed). — Common. Breeds in " barns, 

 churches, ruins, old buildings, hollow trees, outhouses, clefts in 

 chalk quarries, pigeon-cots, and up under roots of trees over- 

 hanging chalk-pits." [Less common now, I believe, all over the 

 county, but at the time of writing I can still hear its weird cry 

 almost any night from this house.] 



Wood chat -Shrike (Lanius rufus). — Mr. Sarney, of Lam- 

 bridge, once shot one here, which Harbor, of ReadiDg, preserved* 



